Handling blown out windows1669

i don't know about you, but I am getting lots of complaints about windows looking awful. I have learned that Million dollar homes with million dollar views should never be scanned during the day. It just looks terrible. I knew it would look terrible, so what do I do? I close the curtains thus blocking the world from experiencing these views - well on the 3d part anyway - they obviously can be seen in the regular photos. And wouldn't you know it, the client is mad I did that. Huge windows equals huge ugly if I leave curtains open is what I tell them. There is no winning. Mad if open and mad if closed. I explain about how this camera isn't made to look out windows (except for at sunset), but people just don't get it. Again, no winning. I am now forced to explain this situation up front and ask client if they want ugly option 1 or ugly option 2. Very annoyed.

I can totally relate, but then again, it is a tool to visit the property in its entirety, not a beauty-shot still photo tool. The (often unrealistic, HDR, color corrected, etc...) photos are still always there in the listing, so these help feel the "beauty" of the property. Our virtual tours are there to see how fonctional the property is.
I do complain about blown out windows too, but I sure am very happy when a very dark room (basement, garage, etc...) turns out looking awesome thanks to the Matterport camera.

You proffered the solution in the question. Time of day is all important. Always has, always will be. Dusk is one strategy, but daytime timing is another. Windows facing east will appear much different in the morning (backlit subjects outside) from afternoon (when view is flooded with direct light). What the view of is another variable (trees vs beach). I like to scan on rainy days! HDR makes the Windows a pleasing turquoise blue. Overcast helps as well. All in all, I think MP does a respectable job handling wide exposure ranges, surprisingly well sometimes. I have had zero exposure complaints in 128 scans. I don't leave toilet seats up anymore however.

Archimed: that's an example where a near dusk or dawn scan would have made a great difference. You'd have to scan fast though to cover that large of a room during the window of opportunity. I would start early while sun was up and scan all the back spaces, then as it started to dim, move into the living room. This also assumes that the residents didn't want to come in and start cooking supper.

I've made some tests with shooting right when the sun is about to set, with a room much smaller than this living room, and by the time I was half way done, it was almost dark out. So in this penthouse example, since most rooms have huge windows with a view, it would have be dawn for a few spots in the living room, then night in the rest of the property (which probably would have looked very nice, I give you that)... But walking around with change of lighting, althought interesting for some, can be even more distracting for most.

I realize the best time to shoot is when the sun is at it's proper location. However, I have jobs pretty much daily. 3 - 5,000 sq ft homes that take hours - I can't just wait til the best lighting is there to do it. It's always a rush. Which I know if part of the problem, but that's how it is.

Matt - yes, those views are incredible once the camera is right next to the window - it's leading up to that point that I am talking about. Everything is blown out and that's the complaint I get. No win.

Hi Ron,
It was still VERY cold outside (around -10C) when we shot this one. I noticed that in order to go outside without any problems, it is best to leave the window open the whole time (well, at least when the camera is close enough to scan the 3D of the window). So in this case, leaving the window open was not really an option.
I've managed to scan the balcony/deck a few times without the window open, just so we see it on the dollhouse and floor plans, but it doesn't always work. If the scan doesn't pick up enough information on the deck from inside, when we go outside, it usually cannot align.

If you guys have a work-around that works all the time, I would be very interested to know!

I had a similar issue. A modern river house had a glass roll up garage door in the living room leading out to a large deck. Unfortunately the wind was blowing 25 knots that day and an open garage door would have wreaked havoc with all the stuff inside. No deck walk.

I'm finding that my job isn't just about showing up to scan the home but educating people about the technology. What I do is help them see that Matterport is one component of their overall marketing strategy.

PHOTOS are what you use to get perspective buyers interested. They're the foundational part of any successful marketing campaign.

MATTERPORT is to help buyers conceptualize the space, the flow of the rooms, etc. It's to help them visualize how their furniture will be laid out. It's a much more accurate representation of the space than wide-angle lenses.

FLOOR PLANS are a great add-on to quickly conceptualize the space.

VIDEO and AERIAL VIDEO is to show views, perspectives, and detail shots that will create an EMOTIONAL CONNECTION with the space. You don't use Matterport to create an emotional connection with the space like you would video.

Using all of these things together is what tells THE WHOLE STORY. It's also how you make a lot more money!

I seem to be doing a lot of educating about the whole window thing...Did that in full detail WITH PHOTOS as visual back up and proof of what I was talking about...and she still wanted the blinds open after I just proved they would look way better closed.

I am going to start bringing up the blown out widows to every client now and giving them the option up front...closed or open. It will look like this and it will look like that...your choice.